Machine for knotting the ends of spiral springs



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. MULLER. MACHINE FOR KNQTTING THE ENDS 0F SPIRAL SPRINGS. No.468,465. Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

(No Model.) 6 sheets sheet 2. J. H. MULLER. MAGHINE FOR KNOTTING THEENDS 0F SPIRAL SPRINGS. No. 468,465.

Patented Feb. 9,1892.

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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-8heet 3.

'J. H. MULLER. MACHINE FOR KNOTTING THE ENDS 0 SPIRAL SPRINGS.

No. 468,465. Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. H. MULLER. MACHINE FOR KNOTTING THE ENDS OF SPIRAL SPRINGS.

Patented Feb. 9; 1892.

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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. H. MULLER. MACHINE FOR KNOTTING THE, ENDS OF SPIRAL SPRINGS.

No. 468,465. Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

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MACHINE FOR KNOTTING THE ENDS 0F SPIRAL SPRINGS.

Patented Feb. 9, 1892 jY/TI/EIJTUZ;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. MULLER, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

MACHINE FOR KNOTTING THE ENDS OF SPIRAL SPRINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,465, dated February9, 1892.

Application filed February 28, 1891. Serial No. 383,295. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. MiiLLEE, residing at Brooklyn, in the countyof Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Knotting the Ends of Spiral Springs; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable those skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements inmachines for knotting the ends of spiral springs, such as are used inupholstery, bedding, and the like; and its object is to providea machinesimple in construction and operation, whereby the extremity of the wireformingthe spring may be knotted firmly about the wire of the coil nextabove it, the whole being performed automatically by suitableco-operating instrumentalities.

With these ends in View my invention consists in the construction andcombination of elements hereinafter fully explained, and then recited inthe claims, and particularly in the twister having the peculiar movementhereinafter described, the mechanism for operating said twister, and thebending-die whereby the initial rectangular bend is imparted to thewire.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertainsmay fully understand its construction and method of operation, I willdescribe these in detail, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a front elevation; Fig. 2, a frontelevation of the standard and clutch mechanism supported thereby, whichform a part of the organized machine, but are omitted from Fig. 2 forlack of space. The line 0000 is the line of breakage. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation opposite Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view. Fig. 5 is a section onthe line a z of Fig. 2, looking toward the left. Fig. 6 is a detail ofthe parts shown at the upper part'of Fig. 5, the full lines showing theposition of the twister at the time of commencing its operation upon theend of the short length of wire which forms the knot and the dottedlines showing its position at the end of the knotting operation. Fig. 7is a detail plan view showing the two lower coils of the spring with theend bent in ready to be engaged by the twister. Fig. 8 shows in fulllines the spring with its end partially and wholly knotted anddifferent-positions of the twister. Fig. 9 shows the spring in plan Viewand fully knotted. Fig. 10 shows details of the eccentric disk shown atFig. 1, and Fig. 11 shows details of the several parts constituting theclutch shown at Fig. 2.

Like numerals denote the same parts in all the figures.

Three sets of mechanism constitute the complete machine: First, meansfor grasping the end of the wire which is to form the knot and also thelowermost full coil about which the end is knotted; second, means forimparting the initial inward bend to the extremity of the wire, and,third, means whereby the end so bent is tightly wound about thelowermost full coil.

1 denotes the frame of the machine, and 2 a standard at one side thereofwhich carries a driving band-wheel 3. In a bearing through the standardis journaled a short shaft, upon whose inner end close to the standardis mounted a small gear 5. (See Fig. 2.)

Between shaft 4 and the band-wheel is interposed a clutch mechanism 6 ofany ordinary construction,which forms no part of my present inventionand is actuated by means of a treadle-rod 7. Any ordinary clutchmechanism which will upon pressure of the treadle permit the machine tomake a single revolution and then stop will answer the purpose. Thesmall gear 5, just referred to, meshes with a large gear 8 upon atransverse shaft 9,whi'ch latter is journaled in the sides of the frame.

The shaft 9 bears a gear 11, which, through an idler 10, communicatesmotion to a gear 12 on a shaft 13, which latter is above and in front ofthe shaft 9. These parts furnish the power for the whole machine.

Means for grasping and holding the spring during the bending andtwisting operation is as follows: A gripping-vise is mounted upon thetable or top 14. This vise consists of a stationary jaw 15, to which isfulcrumedja movable jaw 16. with removable jaw-blocks 17, each havingThese jaws are provided IOC two grooves, as shown at Fig. 5, the outergrooves'co-operating to hold the lowermost full turn or coil and theinner groove to hold the end of the wire at a little distance from itsextremity. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 5 that the meetingline of the jaws is at an angle. Therefore when the wire is in positionthe extremity thereof will be in a slightly higher plane than the fullcoil. The rear of the movable jaw carries a set-screw 18, by which thebite of the vise may be adjusted. Beneath this set-screw a plunger 19has a sliding bearing. The lower end of the plunger carries a roll 20and beneath this roll the shaft 13 bears a cam 21, whose shape isclearly shown at Figs. 5 and 6. Vhenthe machine is at rest, the rollrests upon the low point of the cam (see Fig. 5) and the jaws aredistended. During the operation of the machine the full diameter of thecam abuts against the roll, whereby the plunger is raised and thevise-jaws shut down upon the wire.

The bending mechanism is more particularly shown at Figs. 2 and 4. Itconsists of a notched slide-rod 22 (see Figs. 2 and 4) mounted in abearing 23, the line of movement of said rod being at a slight angle tothe bed, as appears in plan view. To the rear of this slide-rod ahorizontal lever 24 is connected by a slot and pin, and the rear end ofthis lever in turn is engaged by a vertical lever 25, fulerumed at aboutthe line of the top of the machine. Through a slide at the lower end ofthe lever 25 said lever is operated in proper time by means of a cam 26on the shaft 13. This slide appears in dotted lines at Figs. 1, 2, and4. At each revolution of the machine the cam, through the connectionsabove specified, forces the slide-rod inward. After the passage of thehigh point of the cam a spring 27 withdraws the parts to their normalposition. The end of this slide-rod is in the same horizontal plane inwhich is held the extremity of the wire which forms the spring. Sincethis portion of the wire is in a slightly higher plan-e than the fullcoil, the outward movement of the rod will bend the extremity of saidwire inward alongside the jaws and over that portion of the wire whichis held in the outer notches of said jaw. This is well shown at Fig. 7,the end of the rod 22 appearing in dotted lines.

The twisting mechanism is as follows: Referring now more particularly toFigs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, 28 is a cam borne upon the end of the shaft 9.Said cam is of irregular outline and. is adapted to impart avariably-timed movement to a lever 29, f ulcru med to the frame at 30.The upper end of this lever has a slotted connection with and drives inboth directions a sliding rack 31, which latter runs in ways on top ofthe machine. This rack meshes with a gear 32, whose shaft 33 is mountedin bearings secured upon the bed at either side of the rack. Oneextremity of this shaft bears a disk 34, to which is cranked by anadjustable connection a lever 35, supported at its center upon a slidingfulcrum 36. link 37, pivoted to the same standard which supports thesliding fulcrum. This link is rendered adjustable in length by acoupling in order to adapt the twister for operation upon wires ofdifferent diameter. This link and lever together serve to support thetwister 38 by pivotal connections therewith. The twister is slightlyadjustable as to its connection with the link by means of a set-screw30, extending through the bottom. The upper end of the twister hasformed thereon a laterally-projecting hook 40, which, while its shape isnot strictly essential, is preferably of the shape in side and frontelevation, which Immediately beneath this lever is a is shown at Figs.1, 2, and 3that is, its projecting part has a neck around it whichengages with the end of the wire.

In the operation of my invention a wire spring is first placed in thejaws of the vise and the machine started. The timing of the maehineissuch that its first operation is to close down the jaws firmly upon thewire of the spring, holding it, as is most clearly shown at Figs. 4: and6. Following immediately upon the closing of the jaws, the slide-rod 22performs its forward movement, engaging the free end of the wire andbending it inward over the lowest full coil, as has been explained, andas is shown at Fig. 7. The bending-rod then returns to its position ofrest. Up to this time the shape of the cam 28 has been such as only toslightly raise the head of the twister from the position shown at Fig. 5to about the position shown at the dotted lines CL of Fig. 8. Theinwardly-turned end of the wire is at thistime directly in the path ofthe grooved neck. -As the cam 28 continues to rotate the disk 34isrevolvedin the direction of the arrow m, (shown thereon at Fig. 6,)thereby drawing the twister inward and then downward toward the positionin dicatcd in-dotted lines Z) at Fig. 8. During the first part of thismotion the twister is pulling on the wire,but by the time the'positionI) is reached its end has passed to a point beneath the end to beknotted. From the position b the movement imparted to the twister by itssliding pitman is still rearward, but at the same time upward until theposition 0, Fig. 8, is reached. After the high point of the cam 28passes the roller'through which it actuates the lever 29 a spring 40returns the lever to its normal position as fast as it is permitted todo so by the cam. This is shown at Fig. 5. .XVhen the machine hascompleted one full operation, it stops antomatically by means of theclutch until again started by pressure of the foot.

The drawings show the machine operating upon the larger end of a taperedspiral; but it can be used in connection with the smaller ITO ends ofsprings, or in other wire constructions where it is desired to knot anend or wire about another wire or about some point of its own length.

In this my invention I do not wish to be confined to the details ofconstruction herein shown and described, since these maybe varied inmany respects without departing from the broad idea of my invention, asset forth in the clauses of the claim here follow- The presence of thebender as a part of the organized machine I do not deem essential, sinceit will be readily understood that, if required,the initial bend of theend of the wire might first be imparted thereto by independent means andthen the spring inserted in the vise for the operation of the twister.

I claim- 1. In a machine of the character described, the combination,with the vise, whereby the spring is held, of the twister having anoverhanging head for engagement with the bent end of the wire, andmeans, as described, for imparting to the twister a curvilinearmovement, whereby its head is carried first downward, then outward, andthen upward for the formation of the knot, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a machine of the character described, a vise having doubly-groovedholding-jaws, one pair of grooves in a plane higher than the other, alaterally-movable bender in the plane of the higher grooves and adaptedto carry the wire held therein outward across the other wire held in thevise, and means, as described, for engaging the bent end of wire andtwisting it about the wire of the lowermost full coil of the spring.

3. In a machine of the character described, the vise and means forclosing its jaws, in combination with the bender having movement at anangle to the vise-jaws, and the twister operating subsequently to thebender, said twister having an eccentric curvilinear movement alongsidethe vise-jaws and around the wire, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

4. In a machine of the character described, the vise havingdoubly-grooved jaws with the inner grooves in a plane slightly above theplane of the outer grooves, a horizontal bending device in the plane ofthe upper grooves, and a twister operating in a curvilinear pathparallel with the length of the vise-jaws.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with thevise for holding the spring to be knotted, of a bender for imparting theinward angular bend to the extremity of the wire, and the twister havinga head adapted to engage the bent end of the wire, and means for movingsaid twister in a curvilinear path, commencing at the inside of thespring and passing downward, outward, and upward around the lowermostcoil thereof, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a machine of the character described, and in combination with thebending and twisting devices, the vise provided with a pair of jawsmeeting inaplane oblique to the table and provided with two pairs ofgrooves, and means, as described, for operating said vise in proper timewith the other mechanism.

'7. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with meansfor holding the wire, of the twister, a link whereon said twister isfulcrumed, and a lever having a sliding fulcrum connected to and adaptedto operate the twister, and suitable connections for the operation ofsaid lever.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with thetwister, of a link whereon the same is fulcrumed, a lever having asliding fulcrum connected to said twister, a crank-disk engaging theother end of the lever, a gear for operating the crank-disk, and asliding rack meshing with and adapted to drive thegear, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

9. The con1bination,in a machine for knotting the ends of spiralsprings, of the followin g instrumentalities, namely: a vise for holdingthe spring and means for closing the vise, a sliding bender arranged atan angle to the vise-jaws, and means for imparting to said bender itsoperative movement subsequent to the closing of the vise-jaws, and thetwister, the link whereon the same is fulcrumed, and the lever and itsconnections for the operation of the twister, said twisterbeing adaptedto act immediately after the bending operation, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.Signed at the city of New York, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, this 10th day of February, A. D. 1891.

JOHN H. MULLER.

Witnesses: ROBERT M. MIZE, MARTIN LYNcH.

